Of Reunions and Reminders
by brencon
Summary: Craig and John Paul at the SU. They catch up on the last year and discuss what they are to each other. Part two of two now up.
1. Part 1

Craig was fed up. He'd come back to aid his family through the major heartaches for the past year, but too much pampering by his mother or too many questions about life in Dublin from his sister or too many awkward moments with Darren were driving him insane. He needed to break free and take a moment to relax in himself.

He checked himself in the mirror, playing with his hair and rubbing his hand over his stubble-covered cheek. Upon returning home, his mother hand complained that he looked so different than her baby boy, that he was much better looking without the beard. But he ignored her orders to shave it off and let it be. To him, it was sign of the growth he had made over the past 12 months, to the person he had become after a year away from home.

He grabbed his wallet from phone and made his way downstairs to the pub.

"I'm just going for a walk, mum. I'll be back in time for tea, okay?" Craig said, smiling at Kris who was working with Frankie behind the bar.

"Sure son, just don't be late. Have a nice time."

Nodding at her request, Craig walked the short distance to the door. Pushing it open, he stepped outside to the warmth of the September sun. The door behind him creaked on its hinges as it shut when he made his way through the various benches that gathered outside the pub.

The creaking sounded through the still afternoon air and Craig turned when his name was called.

"So Dean, what are you really going to do?" Kris asked, gathering the few empties that were on the tables.

"I'm goin' for a walk; clear my head."

"Not going to see a certain blonde haired, blue eyed DJ then?" Kris smirked; placing the single glass he was holding and crossing his arms.

"No need, he's moved on – he's engaged, in case you forgot," Craig sighed, glancing up at the fluffy clouds in the blue, blue sky above his head. He remembered a time when he would lay on the grass in the park and watch the shapes of the clouds as they passed above him; a time before falling for his best mate and being abandoned at an airport.

"Nah, I didn't mate, just thought you might be able to rekindle that old flame. You never forget your first love," Kris reminded, grabbing the glass once more, along with a couple of empty lager bottles.

"John Paul has," Craig replied, his voice low. He smiled sadly at Kris walking down the steps towards the village. His eyes were drawn to clouds once more, that when the other person connected with his shoulder, he gasped in surprise as well as pain.

"Oh, sorry 'bout that mate," Craig apologised, finally looking up.

He met the blue eyes that had haunted his dreams, the eyes that he loved and hated, given what mood he was in or what day of the week it was. Today, he was excited to see them, in person, for the first time in almost 12 months.

"Craig…" John Paul whispered. He'd just said goodbye to Kieron, leaving him to deal with Niall's latest drama. Anyway, he'd had a text from Kris asking if he wanted to free him from the boredom of a quiet shift at the dog. Kris had said that he some major news to tell him… This, John Paul thought, was obviously it.

"Hey, John Paul… erm, how are you doing?" Craig asked, choosing to take the road of politeness.

"I've been…ahem," John Paul started, clearing his throat, "I've been good. What about you?"

"Oh you know, I've been muddling through," Craig joked. He kicked at the pavement with his trainer, eyeing John Paul, breathing him in. He still smelled the same, fresh and clean and JP. He even still used the same aftershave that had enticed Craig so many times in the past. Using the confidence he'd found from his lonely year, Craig took the plunge and asked John Paul if he wanted to have a pint at the SU, to catch up properly.

Stunned by the request, watching Craig rub his neck in expectation and nerves, John Paul spluttered with his reply of yes.

"Are you free now?" Craig questioned, checking his phone for the time. Still a long time before the dinner would be ready.

"I was actually going to meet up with Kris, said he was bored at work, but I can always text him back and say that I've got something else on."

"If it's no trouble," Craig said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"None at all," JP smiled, extracting his phone. He typed out the message and had it sent in no time, "Ready?" he asked.

"Always," Craig replied, smiling at his former lover.

--

The walk to the bar was quiet, with small comments made few and far between. Craig offered to get the first round in, asking John Paul to grab a table outside. He didn't recognise a lot of the people in the bar when he entered, but then it was just early September, most of the students wouldn't be back yet. One that he did recognise, however, was standing at the bar. She looked older, somehow, yet still the same Sarah Barnes when he'd last been in Hollyoaks. It could have been the new clothes, or the new hair style, Craig wasn't sure, but Sarah had an air of age and growth about her.

Giving a fair berth between the two of themselves, Craig waved down the other barman who was reading his newspaper. Sarah, recognising his voice, handed over her cash and received her change before joining his side.

"What the hell are you doing here, Craig?" She seethed, her voice barely a whisper.

"I'm back to help my family after all that's happened, Sarah. And," he took a deep breath, facing her," And I'm having a drink here to catch up with some friends, okay?"

"It will never be okay, what you did to me, okay? Never!" She spat, glaring at him. She shook her head in disbelief before joining Zoe by the pool table.

Receiving his own drinks, Craig handed over a tenner and told the barman to keep the change. He glanced at Sarah as he made his way to the exit, she was still throwing daggers his way.

Back outside, he sighed in relief of being in the fresh air once more and placed the pint glass before John Paul. Taking the empty seat across from him, Craig was unashamedly staring at his former boyfriend.

"What?" John Paul asked, smiling embarrassedly as his cheeks turned red.

"I'm just looking… no harm is there?"

"There is if my fiancée or someone catches ya?" John Paul joked, drinking from his glass.

Craig looked to the table top, using his finger to spread spilled beer across the table.

The silence was awkward before Craig took a step forward and asked John Paul about his family, and how life at HCC was going for him, conveniently avoiding the topic of the priest, former. John Paul opened up and was telling him all about his sisters and how they were doing, and about the new addition to the McQueen clan.

"You should see him, Craig, he's just adorable! He has the strength of an ox, the way he can grip yer finger!"

"Yeah, I remember Charlie at that stage – does Max thinking that anything he can get his hands on should be put in his mouth?" Craig asked.

"Yeah, he does!" John Paul laughed, placing his glass on the table as he leaned in close to Craig, "Just yesterday he was trying to fit a whole stuffed bunny in his mouth! He is just so cute!" John Paul praised, laughing at the memory.

"Is that…" Craig started, looking at the spot just above JP's head.

"Is that what, Craig?" John Paul asked.

"Is that the same bunny we were playin' bunny tennis with last summer?" Craig asked, smiling at John Paul shyly.

"It was bunny cricket, Craig! But yeah, one and the same."

The boys recalled the happier times of their summer affair. It had been such a happy afternoon together.

"We did have some good times together, didn't we?" Craig asked suddenly, his head low.

"We did Craig, but not enough to take away from the bad," John Paul reminded him.

Nodding his head in agreement, Craig took a drink from his pint, choking on the amount of liquid forcing it's way down his throat.

"I am sorry, you know."

"For what?"

"All the pain I put you through last year, the stringing along, the lying," Craig explained, staring hard at John Paul.

"I am too."

The conversation lulled some, both boys focussing on their drinks rather than each other. The sun was hidden behind a cloud, casting shadow over the village.

"…does… does he make you happy?" Craig asked, staring at JP hard.

"With all his heart. He gave up the one thing he has known in his entire life to be with me, Craig."

"Do yer love 'im?" Craig asked, his voice cracking.

"Yes," John Paul replied, staring into his glass as he swirled the amber liquid around.

"Do you still love me?" Craig questioned, his voice quiet yet full of determination.

John Paul turned away from Craig, looking down the steps and into the village. His mind raced through his memories for a time when he'd fallen out of love with Craig. He found none.

"Yeah," he whispered.

"As much as you love him?" Craig asked. He was transported back to a time in the McQueen kitchen, when he'd asked the same question of John Paul's feelings for that knob Spike.

"I… I can't answer that Craig. I'm with Kieron, we're getting married. We had our chance and we blew it Craig. You need to move on… I have." John Paul returned his glass, his pint not finished, to the table and stood up. He didn't say goodbye, he just started to walk briskly away.

He hadn't gotten far before he heard the scrapping of metal on cement as Craig rushed from his seat and followed after him. Spinning him round, Craig kissed him with all the love and passion he felt, his heart pounding in his chest as his mind told him to leave things be, to leave John Paul alone.

He kissed him hard and slow, taking as much from the kiss as he could.

Pulling slowly back, Craig held firm of John Paul's shoulders and stared into those oceans of blue.

"I love you more than life itself and I am not giving up on us. I know you care for this bloke, but you love me more, I know it. And I'm gonna keep reminding you of that. And whether it takes me one day or one week to get through to, I will. I am gonna fight for you John Paul. I'm gonna keep reminding you, because we are meant to be. We're soul mates. And you know that."

Kissing John Paul one final time, Craig hugged and stepped away, making his way back to the Dog, when he heard John Paul shout out to him.

"Yeah?" He said, spinning on the spot.

"Love the stubble."

Smirking, Craig stroked his face before flashing a dirty grin at John Paul. He waved goodbye to him and continued on his path home, forming plans and stratagems to win back his lover. He was gonna get him back, whatever the cost.

And he was going to keep the beard.


	2. Part 2

The clouds that had rolled in as if from nowhere had turned dark and a light rain had started to fall and was soaking Craig. He rushed back home to the pub, shivering with the cold as a heavy downpour started. The pool outside the bar was rising in level as Craig raced past, swinging the front door open.

He shook the droplets off and they showered the floor. Glancing at the bar, he found his mother nowhere to be, and Mercedes McQueen working her shift alongside Kris. The two of them were whispering to each other, Mercedes eyes wide in surprise. When they heard the door shut, the two glanced at the latest punter.

Smirking, Kris meandered his way to the door. Hands on his hips, he smiled at the young Dean, his eyes holding mischief.

"So, did like me present to ya?" He asked slyly, smiling back at Mercy.

"That was your doing?" Craig asked, surprised. Remembering what JP said about meeting with Kris 'cause he was bored, Craig replaced his surprised look with a grateful one, "Cheers mate," Craig sang happily, grabbing him in a friendly hug.

During their matey hug, Mercedes had joined them, her eyes narrow and her nails beating out a repeated tap on her crossed arms. Staring at Craig, she was pleased to find his eyes falling to her chest for just a second before they rose again with a mixture of guilt and fear swirling around.

"Still the same old toerag, eh? Checking me out while you're supposed to be in love with our John Paul! Here's me thinking that all that rubbish Kris here was telling me was real, yet ya can't stop checking me out."

"Mercedes, you got it all wrong! I was looking away from you so you wouldn't accuse me being afraid to get what I want."

"And what is it ya want?" She asked, knowing the answer already.

"John Paul, by my side."

She eyed him up, making him sweat a little, before breathing a heavy sigh, "I'll let it pass this time… just don't let me catch ya doin' it again, okay?"

"Definitely!" Craig replied, smiling brightly. He became serious for a moment and quietly asked Mercedes if she knew what John Paul was doing that night.

"Why?" She questioned, hands on her hips as Kris returned behind the bar to serve one of the only customers still in the Dog.

"I have this thing I want to do tonight to win him back, Mercedes, okay? And I need to know if he hasn't got anything planned with his bloke, okay?"

Sighing exasperatedly, Mercedes tried to remember what exactly John Paul had said the last night he had come home, "I think he said something about Kieron heading home for the rest of the week this afternoon."

"Excellent," Craig said, grinning. "Is mum upstairs?"

"Yeah, making your tea," Kris called out, wiping down the counter.

"Okay, I'm going to get upstairs and grab a shower and some dry clothes and then call him."

Smiling at the two worker bees, Craig moved for the stairs and took them two at a time. Reaching the door to the flat, Craig took a deep breathe before entering. The smell of roast potatoes and roast chicken filled his nostrils, awakening him to the fact that he was a lot hungrier than he thought.

Greeting his mother, Craig went to the hot press, he grabbed a dry towel and shouted out to his mother that he was gonna take a shower.

--

Twenty minutes later, the Osborne-Dean clan were sitting down to a dinner that reminded Craig of childhood Sunday dinners with Johnno Dean. How times had changed.

"So, how was your walk?" Frankie asked, serving out stuffing to her son.

"So so. I ran into Sarah at the SU Bar," Craig said, cutting up his potatoes and taking a little sliver of butter, placing it on the hot spuds, allowing them to melt the butter.

"How is she?" Darren asked, accepting the butter from Craig.

"A little annoyed, wondering what I was doing back... kinda what I expected really. I…," Craig started and stopped, taking a large gulp of his water.

"You what, Craig?" Steph asked, seasoning her meal with copious amounts of salt.

"I… ran into John Paul too," He said quietly. He quickly began to shovel his tea into his mouth as the silence around them grew to an unbearable level.

"Can we not go for a few months without mentioning that boy?" Frankie asked, her words cold and empty. Craig tested the waters and looked to his family: Darren was in a world of not caring, as he happily continued to eat the food before him; Steph was teary eyed, a probable reminder to the best and worst day of her life. Craig remembered the phone call he got from his mother the following day, her voice heavy with tears in her throat as she explained the events of the day, the venom she used when telling the story of the latest McQueen drama; Newt was smiling, as if he was hoping for a bust up between the golden child and his proud mother.

Frankie's face, however, held a look as if she had something rotten and couldn't find a way to rid herself of the smell. Her eyes were like her voice, cold and void of emotion.

"I'm sorry mum, but I can't not mention him! I haven't forgotten him; I still love him! And I'm going to fight for him, no matter what the cost," Craig said, determined to hold his ground and prove to everyone around him that he wouldn't give up.

Darren kept looking from the three Dean's, waiting for one of women to speak out against this new information. Frankie was who he expected to shout out against it, but to his surprise it was Steph who spoke first.

"I know that you love him Craig, I do, but he's moved on, he's got a fiancée. I don't think you want to John Paul to hurt Kieron like you hurt Sarah, do you?"

"That's just it, Steph, he's still in love with me, even more so than this 'Hobbs' bloke! He couldn't answer me if he loved me more because he feels he has to stand by his man, even when I could tell that he loved me more. So I made him a promise, to fight for him, to prove to him that I was gonna get him back. And if I don't have your blessing or at least your acceptance, that I don't think I can stay here," Craig finished, placing his utensils carefully on the table. He pushed his chair back, away from the table and was about to stand when his mother's arm shot out and grabbed his wrist.

"Don't you dare leave this table, Craig! He left you last September to go to Dublin on your own – he's the reason you didn't come back all year, so there's no point in making excuses, and now that you are back; when you've come back to help your family, you go swanning off after him again! What makes you so sure that you can possibly win over his fiancée? What makes you think that he'll stick by you this time?"

"Because I've grown up over the past year! Because I can't live without him any longer, and I know he can't! Because… because I'm the man he deserves me to be!"

Laughing bitterly, Frankie loosened her grip on him, but still held on. She took his hand into her own and looked him straight in the eye, watching the spark of fight and maturity that she'd been ignoring since he'd arrived back.

"Growing some facial hair or acting confident doesn't make you any more matured than you actually are, Craig – just look at Darren here!" Frankie joked, waving her free hand in her step-son's direction.

"Oi," Darren called out, taking offence of her comment.

"Mum, you can never accept anything that's right in front of you… even last year, when I told you for the first time that I was in love with 'im, you kept asking how we could get Sarah back on side, ignoring everything I was saying to ya!" Craig shouted, snapping his hand out of her grip as he jumped to his feet, knocking his chair to the ground.

Grabbing his jacket from the back of the settee, Craig dragged it on, before grabbing his phone and pulling it from his pocket. As a clap of thunder sang in the sky above them, Craig ignored his mother's shout to sit back down, he retrieved his phone from his pocket and called the first number he thought of.

--

They met at the cinema, feeling the waves of nervousness bouncing off each other as they smiled shyly. Offering to pay for the tickets if John Paul would buy the snacks, Craig held the door open for his mate. They continued making light jokes and comments, having chosen a cheesy slasher comedy that was a flop already. Sitting in the dark theatre with John Paul put Craig on pins and needles, wanting to touch him, kiss him. He tentatively reached for the spot between their two seats where John Paul had idly rested his hand and, breathing out, took it in his.

Expecting some resistance and yet finding none, Craig become ever more confident. He took John Paul's hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles. He felt John shiver at the touch and became empowered. He reached up with his spare hand and threw his arm around JP's neck, once more finding it an easy situation.

On screen, the killer was chasing a blonde woman in high heels down a darkened alley, her screams echoing through the almost empty theatre. Bolder than he expected himself to be, Craig withdrew his arm until his hand rested on JP's neck. He started playing with the small locks that were there, feeling John Paul shiver once more.

Sitting up properly, Craig leaned forward and pressed his lips against John Paul's, tasting the lips that he dreamt about so much in his lonely year in Dublin's fair city.

Their lips moved in a passion that neither had felt since their last kiss, and John Paul groaned into Craig's mouth. His kisses with Kieron were exciting, for sure, but they had never met the electricity that the kisses he had shared with Craig. Only Craig could seem to excite him like this.

Craig pulled back, realising his hold on John Paul's hand and neck in quick succession. He watched John Paul as he tried to remember how to speak.

"God Craig, why did I walk away from you?" He whispered, his fingers stroking his lips. Craig smiled at him wickedly before reaching his hand into John Paul's crotch. He sought and found the hardness he was sure would be present and leant into JP, biting his earlobe before whispering, "Does he make you this hard?" and beginning to unzip John Paul's jeans.

"Craig! What if someone comes in?"

"Who cares?" Was his reply as he reached into John Paul's boxer shorts and grasping the red hot flesh he found there.

Pulling John Paul's cock free, it twitched in the cool air, causing John Paul to groan. Craig gave it a few strokes, feeling it pulse in his grasp. Hearing John Paul moan at his actions, Craig smiled at him and kissed his lips quick, using his thumb to spread the precum around the flared slit. He continued stroking and, to his surprise, John Paul came quickly soon after, shooting his essence onto the back of the seat in front of him and spilling his seed all over Craig's hand. He groaned and thrashed as his orgasm passed through him, finally relaxing as his hardness began to wilt in Craig's hand. Licking the liquid from his fingers, watching as John Paul licked his own lips, made Craig's cock twitch.

Tucking his member back into his pants and zipping his jeans up, John Paul surprised Craig by kissing him hard, tasting himself on the older man's tongue.

Sighing in contentment as they separated, John Paul rested his forehead against Craig's head.

"This can't stop," he started, "what we have between us. I know you want it too."

Laughing at the reused line from their past together, Craig formulated in his mind what it was he wanted to say.

"I had never been as scared in my life as I had been that day. I mean, sleeping with you and all, I had come to terms with, but actually admitting my feelings out loud, even if it was just to you…God, it terrified me."

"Kinda put me in a spin too, ya know," John Paul joked, pressing a kiss to Craig's lips.

"I know… but that day, I… I realised what I'd been denying for so long. And it was the greatest moment in my life. And then.. then I woke up the next day and remembered that I had a girlfriend and knew my family would disown me, so I just started lying to you, telling ya I'd end things with Sarah… which I wouldn't have done if I hadn't put you in a position that was so bad that you had to expose us. I never did thank you, did I?"

"For what?"

"Making me act like a grown up. If you hadn't, I don't know what would have happened."

"You woulda married Sarah, gone to Dublin, and lived happily ever after?"

The two laughed, remembering their discussion from the bridge. "This is my Hollywood ending, John Paul. The one you kept talking about. I've come back to save you. I know you care for this bloke, but you can't deny that this thing between us will never end… not after what we just did!" He pointed out, smirking.

"Craig, I wouldn't have answered your call tonight if you hadn't promised me that you'd keep fighting for me," John Paul said, smiling shyly as Craig cupped his cheek and used his thumb to rub across his face.

"Why? What did you do?"

"Kieron… Kieron was going home, a visit for his mum's birthday. I couldn't go with him, have registration at HCC tomorrow for second year… anyway, before he was to grab his taxi to the train station, I was all moody and snappy. He asked what was wrong and I told him everything."

"Everything?" Craig asked, shocked at his friends abruptness.

"Yeah… it was the least he deserved, given what I was about to do…"

"What… what did you do?"

"I told him that I couldn't marry him… not when all I could think about was what you'd said to me. He was so hurt, Craig, yet accepting. He'd known that I still loved you… he always had. I think he had been talking to Kris a while back about us and our relationship."

The lights in the theatre suddenly burst on and the boys quickly realised that the crappy film had finished already.

"Guess we kinda lost track of time," Craig joked, disappointed that their alone time had come to an end already.

--

"So…" Craig pushed, holding the door open for John Paul as they left the cinema.

"So… what?" John Paul asked, causing Craig to laugh.

"So, what happened next? Between you and Kieron?"

"He said he understood… that he always expected something like this to happen. He kissed me goodbye and asked me leave so that he could pack properly. He said he'd leave my stuff with his roommate for me to get, once he'd gone."

"He broke up with yer?" Craig asked, trying and failing to keep happiness out of his voice.

"Yeah… He was a very understanding man, Kieron. I'm just sorry that we ended like this."

"Like what?"

"On these terms. Before we got together, he was a great friend and we shared this connection. Not like the one me and you share, but still as good. And we had some good times. But I wish that he had been angry at me… or something, just not so understanding. It makes me feel like a bit of a miser that he was dealing with it already and that he had even expected this to happen. I guess he just knew me too well."

"I'm sorry that you're hurt, I really am, but I really wanna kiss you right now, okay?" Craig asked, his voice needy as he grabbed the front of John Pauls hoody.

"Fine with me," JP agreed, smiling at him as Craig wrapped his arms around him and kissed him hard.

The black thunder clouds over head had dissipated, allowing the warmth of the September sun to shine through, and shrouding the two lovers in a glow.

John Paul was in disbelief – there he was, kissing Craig "I'm not Gay!" Dean in the middle of Chester, where anyone could see them. But any thought was quickly wiped from his mind as Craig's tongue made contact with his own; as Craig's hand simultaneously rose and fell to his neck and lower back respectively; as Craig started grinding his crotch against John Paul's own, hardening flesh.

Breaking apart and panting for oxygen, Craig took a firm hold of John Paul's hand and squeezed their hands together.

"Want to get a pizza?" He asked, fighting the urge to kiss John Paul once more.

Leaving the shadow of the cinema complex, the two boys laughed and talked about insignificant things as they walked to the pizzeria. Using his free hand, John Paul reached out and stroked Craig's beard-covered cheek.

"Do you really like it?" Craig asked, seeing the lust in John Paul's eyes rise.

"Do I really have to answer that?" was the reply.


End file.
